Delhi CM's official residence sealed by PWD amid handover dispute

New Delhi: The Public Works Department on Wednesday sealed the former official residence of Arvind Kejriwal at 6 Flagstaff Road, called the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ following a dispute over its handover. The PWD has put a double lock on the gate of the house.

The BJP had complained to Lieutenant Governor V.K Saxena that the property was not properly transferred to the current Chief Minister, Atishi, leading to the intervention.

It had also alleged that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal is yet to formally vacate the official bungalow.

In response, the PWD issued a show-cause notice to two of its section officers and Kejriwal's former special secretary from the Delhi Vigilance Department for the alleged unauthorised occupation.

The dispute is about not following the rules of handover. This bungalow cannot be allotted to anyone without proper handover of the keys to PWD and checking of the inventory present there.

The PWD department had earlier written to the Chief Minister's special secretary asking why the keys of the bungalow were not handed over to the department.

The belongings/luggage of CM Atishi were taken out of 6 Flagstaff Marg Residence on Wednesday.

On instructions of the LG, all belongings and luggage of CM Atishi have been taken out.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi had officially moved into the Chief Minister's residence on October 7, previously occupied by Kejriwal. She had held her first meeting at the residence, engaging with the employees and officials working there on that day.

Kejriwal had moved to a bungalow on Feroz Shah Road in Lutyens Delhi, which has been allotted to Aam Aadmi Party's Rajya Sabha member from Punjab Ashok Mittal.

Arvind Kejriwal vacated his official residence on October 5, where he moved after the AAP came back to power with a massive majority in the February 2015 Assembly polls.

Atishi used to stay in south Delhi's Kalkaji from where she is an MLA.